deadmau5 has publicly identified a man he says sent him death threats over Instagram, sharing screenshots of the alarming exchange to Threads.Ad 0:00 Click for sound 0:00 / 0:00 The screenshots show a direct message thread containing a photo of a semi-automatic handgun, framed by the sender as a “gift from Brazil,” followed by messages claiming deadmau5 was being watched and would not return to the country.
“I don’t normally dox people, but I also don’t appreciate death threats.Do whatever,” wrote the influential DJ and producer, whose real name is Joel Zimmerman.
His has since drawn more than 24,000 likes and 1,500 replies.View on Threads It is not the first time Zimmerman has spoken about threats directed at him.
In a 2016 interview with NME, he described receiving messages from people vowing to kill him at shows and referenced the 2004 murder of former Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell.Zimmerman has a long track record in Brazil.
His most recent performance in the country came in October 2025 during Tomorrowland’s offshoot festival at Parque Maeda in Itu, São Paulo, though nothing in the posted messages connects the threat with any upcoming deadmau5 set.Zimmerman has not yet indicated whether he has contacted law enforcement.
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